One Precious Heart
by MinervaDeannaBond
Summary: The Enterprise intercepts a distress signal from a nearby planet, only to discover it was sent by an abused little girl. Deanna Troi rescues her - but will she be able to save her for good?
1. Distress Signal

It's been a while since I've tackled an original TNG story, and I've always wanted to write a story about this particular subject. In this story, set sometime after the episode "Chain of Command," the _Enterprise_ picks up a distress signal from a nearby planet - only to discover that it was sent by a seven-year-old girl who has been abused by her father. Troi rescues her and fights against the child's father to make sure nothing ever happens to her again. Enjoy!

This story is dedicated to all who are or have been victims of child abuse. Please don't look away when you see a child in distress - you may be their only hope.

* * *

_Captain's log, Stardate 46814.2. The _Enterprise _is in orbit around Gamma Tauri V, where we have intercepted a distress signal emanating from the planet. Who could possibly be in distress on this peaceful planet, we cannot say. _

That last thought remained in Captain Jean-Luc Picard's mind as he trained his eyes on the viewer. The planet they now beheld was a beautiful blend of blue and green, not unlike Earth in its splendor. Gamma Tauri V had long been reputed as one of the most successful and peaceful colonies in the Federation, largely due to the teamwork of its inhabitants. So to suddenly have a distress signal come from the planet was like Vulcan deciding to secede from the Federation.

"Captain, sensors indicate the distress signal is emanating from a village near the primary Federation outpost. I will need to perform a more thorough scan of the village, and then I will be able to give you the exact coordinates."

The calm voice of his second officer snapped Picard out of his reverie and to attention. Data's golden eyes were fixed upon him, awaiting orders. "Make it so, Mr. Data," he commanded; Data nodded once and turned back to his computer console. Picard, still mystified by the situation, mused some of his thoughts aloud. "This is quite a surprise. For years, Gamma Tauri V has been a quiet colony. What could possibly be disastrous enough to warrant a distress call?"

From his seat at the captain's right hand, William Riker shook his head. "I don't have the first clue, sir." He smiled. "But whatever it is, I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle."

Picard had to smile at his first officer's confidence. "Do you sense anything, Counselor?" he asked, turning to his ship's counselor.

"Not from here, no," Deanna Troi said. "Nothing overwhelming or powerful, which means we can rule out Q."

"There's a blessing already," said Picard, who remembered all too clearly the crew's many interesting and irritating encounters with the incorrigible Q.

"I won't know anything for certain until we beam down to the planet's surface," Troi said. "Then I might be able to tell you what's going on here."

Picard was about to ask Troi what her theories were regarding the signal when Data piped up again. "Sir, I have the coordinates of the signal's location."

"Excellent, Data." Picard faced Riker. "Number One, prepare your away team. Find out who is sending that signal and why."

"Aye, sir." Riker rose from his chair and called out three senior officers. "Data, Deanna, Worf, you're all with me." The three of them were with him in a heartbeat; the four of them in the turbolift bound for Transporter Room 3.

* * *

Troi shivered slightly as she and the three men took form on the planet's surface. Even though she had been using transporters nearly all of her life, the incorporeal feeling never failed to leave a tingling sensation in her body.

Or maybe it was a tingle of fear brought on by the sudden pulse of emotion that slammed into her mind. Although she could hear no thoughts, the wave of terror that crashed upon her was a cry for help. Someone, somewhere, was scared – and in pain, for Troi's hand flew to her heart and she let out an audible gasp.

Riker's head snapped around in her direction. "Deanna? Are you all right?" he asked, worry bleeding though the intense concentration on his face.

Troi inhaled deeply, trying to compose herself. "Yes… but I'm sensing great fear… and pain. Someone here is hurt, Will. We have to find them."

Upon hearing the urgency in Troi's voice, Riker looked over at Data, who had his tricorder out and open. "Can you tell where the signal is coming from, Data?"

The android raised his head, his keen eyes roving over the landscape. Miles O'Brien had set them down right at the edge of the village's main street, which gave Data a clear view of the houses lined up on either side. "Directly ahead, sir," he said, pointing with his free hand. "The house at the end of the street."

Worf immediately checked the phaser at his side. "Phasers on stun. We cannot be too careful."

"Agreed." Riker set his phaser on stun, as did Data. "Let's go."

They set off down the street for the house at the end. As they approached, the pulses of fear grew even stronger within Troi's mind, like a heart racing. By the time they reached the door and rang the chime, Troi could also sense another emotion: anger.

The door opened to reveal a dark-haired man, early thirties at best, standing on the threshold. At first, he blinked in surprise at the sight of the four Starfleet officers, but then smiled as if recognizing an old friend. "Hello; this is quite an unexpected pleasure," he said, his voice guarded. "If you don't mind me asking, who are the four of you?"

Riker made the necessary introductions. "I'm Commander William Riker of the U.S.S. _Enterprise. _This is Counselor Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Worf, and Lieutenant Commander Data."

"The _Enterprise_? This is an honor indeed. I'm Nathan DeVore. Please, come in," he said, inviting them in with a sweep of his hand. "To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"We've picked up a distress signal coming from this planet," Riker stated, his sharp blue eyes trained on DeVore. "And we traced it right here, to your house."

Troi squeezed her eyes shut tight as a fresh wave of fear assaulted her mind; Data spoke up at the same time. "Commander, the signal has been terminated at this very instant."

DeVore suddenly laughed and shook his head, but Troi saw rage flicker across his face. _He's hiding something. _"Oh, good Lord. That must've been my daughter; she's always messing with the equipment." He turned his head to a back hallway. "Penny," he called. "Come out here."

A door opened and shut in the back of the house and little footsteps were heard approaching. The next minute, a little girl, no older than seven, had entered the room. Troi studied her intently. Her strawberry-blond hair was falling into her face, and her eyes, wide-set and green, were downcast. Her arms were wrapped around herself, as if she were trying to shield her tiny body from harm. Troi took note of this, as well as the slight tremble of the child's lower lip, and realized that the fear she sensed was the little girl's. _But why?_

"Penny." DeVore stood over his daughter, giving off an air of menace that Troi did not like in the slightest. "Did you send out that signal?"

Penny said nothing. In the silence, she looked up at Troi with an expression that seemed to say, _Help me. Please. _Troi's heart went out to her, especially when her father spoke to her again.

"Answer me, Penny." There was an infuriated edge to DeVore's voice now, despite his trying to keep it level. "Did you send out the signal?"

The child's fear was coming in shockwaves now. "Yes," she whispered; her voice trembled when she spoke.

DeVore laughed and patted Penny's head with a little more force than necessary. "You see?" he said to the four officers. "She does this kind of thing all the time. It's all a misunderstanding; no harm done. Right?"

Riker narrowed his eyes; clearly, he didn't trust the man. "Right. If that's all it was, then we're done here." He shook hands with DeVore, if reluctantly. "Goodbye."

After DeVore bid them all farewell, the foursome exited the house and stood in the middle of the square. "There's something about that man I don't like," Riker said, his frown still in place.

"Understandable," said Troi, folding her arms over her chest. "I felt great anger within him, and he was trying very hard to disguise it."

"Mmm. What about the little girl?"

Troi looked up at Riker, her dark eyes filled with concern. "That's where I'm worried. Will, the poor child was terrified about something, and I'm beginning to think it's her father."

Now Riker was the one who looked concerned. "Deanna, if you think it's that serious, go back there and find out. If you're right, you just might be saving that little girl's life."

Troi didn't need telling twice. She nodded to Riker in thanks and ran back to the house – but the very second she reached the door, terror and anger barreled into her mind with such force that she clutched at her heart and gasped in pain. From inside the house, she could hear cursing and angry shouts – DeVore – and screams of terror and pleading – Penny, which confirmed her worst fears. The door was still unlocked, thank goodness, so Troi opened it and sprinted inside, all the way to Penny's bedroom…

Only to behold DeVore beating Penny with his bare fists; the terrified child was flailing in fear and begging her father to stop, tears streaming down her face. As soon as Penny saw Troi, she cried, "Help me, please! Help me!"

Rage filled Troi and she lunged at DeVore. "Stop it! Let her go!" she yelled, tearing him away from Penny.

DeVore threw her a murderous glare. "Don't tell me what to do!" He shoved Troi aside and went for Penny again.

_Why didn't I bring a phaser?_ Troi thought, cursing herself. _I can fight fire with fire, though. _Recalling the self-defense classes she had taken, Troi clasped her palms together, swung her arms back, and sent a two-hander flying into DeVore's left temple. The force of the blow was so great, it sent DeVore reeling to the floor, momentarily stunned. Acting quickly, Troi gathered the child into her arms and pressed her combadge. "_Enterprise, _two to beam up _now_!" she cried, holding on to Penny for dear life.

DeVore stood up, still massaging his temple, and sprang at Troi and Penny – just as they were enveloped in a soft blue, shimmering light.

"No!" he yelled, watching the two of them vanish from sight. He cursed and glared heavenward. Somehow, some way, that meddling Betazoid was going to pay for taking his child.

* * *

Troi's rescued Penny, but Penny's father isn't going to give up. Stay tuned for more; until then, please review!


	2. The Dilemma At Hand

The last time we saw the crew, Troi had just rescued Penny from her father. Now, Beverly Crusher begins to help Penny heal... and Troi is faced with a difficult dilemma. Enjoy!

**SusanHilton:** Much agreed; this is an issue that is extremely important in today's times. I believe that if TNG was still airing today, this would be an issue it would tackle.

**tiamat100:** Thank you! Child abuse is despicable; I can't believe anybody would even do such things to their own child...

**Tennoko:** Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**MTrek:** LOL, he is, isn't he? And heck yeah - GO TROI!

**clairec12344:** I totally agree; there should be more Troi stories out there. She's one of my favorite characters and it's a shame she never got more screen time. I've tried to portray her exactly as she was on the show - a warm, loving empath who was capable of fighting for what she believed in.

**sova enari:** Here you go! Hope you like it!

**Silicon2123:** Wow, thanks for the applause! Glad you like the story so far!

* * *

Beverly Crusher smiled at the brown gaze that held hers. "Guess what? Your scan came back clean. You're going to live for another seventy or eighty years."

The eyes grew wide. "Seriously? I'm not gonna die?"

Beverly laughed. "Trust me, you are as healthy as a horse and about as twitchy." She crossed her arms. "Have you been going through the Starfleet Medical Database again?"

The patient lowered his eyes. "Yes," he murmured, feeling heat rise to his cheeks.

"Well, that explains it. Reg, you don't have Argellian Blood Disease or anything remotely similar. You said you've been feeling nauseous… when was the last time you ate?"

"Yesterday at breakfast. We've been so busy working on the modifications to the warp core that I haven't had time to eat."

"There's your problem; you're over-hungry." Beverly gave him a pat on the back. "Go, get yourself some lunch. And Reg… for the fourteenth time, stay away from the medical database."

With a sheepish grin, Reginald Barclay hopped down from the exam table. "Thanks, Doctor," he said, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Good to know I'll be eating for the next seventy years…"

Beverly chuckled and shook her head as Barclay left. "What am I going to do with him?" she said to her head nurse, who was checking medical layout.

Alyssa Ogawa looked up and smiled. "Instead of giving him a cure, why not give him a hobby? He's doing nothing but scaring himself to death looking up diseases on Starfleet Medical Database. He needs to get out more; have some fun; break out of his shell." She suddenly looked thoughtful. "You know, he just might get along with our new nurse, Phoebe Alani. She's kind, but not overly eager. I think they'd make a good match."

"Alyssa." Beverly put her hands on her hips, smiling in spite of herself. "Reg gets tongue-tied and as red as a beet whenever he's within a ten-foot radius of Deanna Troi. Phoebe Alani is a Betazoid, too. What do you think will happen?"

Alyssa's eyes glittered. "A miracle."

Beverly's laugh metamorphosed into a gasp of horror as Deanna Troi came rushing in with a child in her arms. The little girl's face had evidently been beaten repeatedly – with a fist, given the swelling and the marks. One of her eyes was black and swollen shut, there was a shiner on her left cheek, and her lower lip was split open and bleeding. _Oh my God…_

"Beverly… hurry!" Troi said urgently; Beverly motioned for her to lay the child down on the exam table.

"Get me an autosuture and a hypospray. Quickly, Alyssa!" Beverly ordered, grabbing her medical tricorder and running to the child's side.

"Which hypospray, Doctor?" Alyssa asked, jumping to action.

"Melorazine." Beverly opened her tricorder and began a scan of the girl's system. "How did this happen, Deanna?" she asked, running her scanner over the wounds.

Troi's voice was caught between anger and fear. "Her father beat her with his fists. And I don't think it was the first time, either."

"Child abuse." Beverly's voice took on the same hard edge. She eyed the child's wounds with disgust. "How can anyone do this to their own child? It's just revolting."

At that moment, Alyssa came dashing over with Beverly's equipment. "10 cc's of melorazine, Doctor."

"Thank you, Alyssa." Beverly pressed the hypospray to the child's neck and injected the anesthetic. Within seconds, the girl was fast asleep, her body relaxing. Beverly then nodded to Alyssa. "Get her clothes off. I want to check for any further injuries. And if there are, let's pray they're not internal."

"Yes, Doctor."

While Alyssa set about removing the child's clothes, Beverly went to her supply cabinet for more medical instruments and Troi followed. "How did you do it, Deanna? How did you manage to get her out?"

Troi winced. "I… I hit her father in the head and knocked him to the floor. It stunned him long enough for Chief O'Brien to beam us out."

Despite the tense situation, Beverly laughed at the mention of Troi fighting; she admired her friend for being so strong. "Good for you!" She gave Troi's hand an affectionate squeeze. "You saved her life, you know."

Troi smiled sadly. "Not yet, Bev. Only if we can keep her away from her father permanently will I know I've saved her life."

Suddenly, Alyssa's voice came out in a rush. "Dr. Crusher! Counselor Troi!" Beverly and Troi looked at one another and then dashed over to the exam table. Alyssa was standing beside the table looking horrified, apparently still in the process of taking the child's clothes off.

"What is it, Alyssa?" Beverly asked upon seeing her head nurse's frantic expression.

Alyssa swallowed hard. "Look." She pulled the girl's tunic aside, revealing scars, burns, and bruises marring her skin. Beverly and Troi gasped in unison; Troi's hands flew to her mouth in shock. "Oh, Penny…" she murmured, feeling tears sting her eyes.

"Penny? Is that her name?" Beverly asked.

"Yes. Poor baby, I can't even imagine…"

Troi was interrupted by the beep of the intercom. "Picard to Troi. Come to my ready room, Counselor," came the captain's voice.

_He knows. _Troi pressed her combadge. "I'm on my way, Captain. Troi out." The link closed and Troi sighed. "Now comes the hard part: convincing the captain to let me keep her here."

Beverly gave her friend a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Deanna. If I know Jean-Luc, and I do, he'll understand once you tell him the whole story."

Troi half-smiled. "I hope so."

* * *

"I cannot allow this, Counselor."

Troi stared at Picard in outrage. "Captain, you have to! Why can't you allow it?"

When Picard spoke, his voice was firm, but calm. "Chief O'Brien informed me that he beamed you aboard with a child in your arms. While I am certain your intentions were good, taking someone else's child is a violation of the Prime Directive – yes, even on a Federation colony."

_And what about all the other times we've deliberately violated the Prime Directive? _Troi wanted to ask, but she knew that would be pushing her luck. "Did Chief O'Brien also inform you that the child was injured and bleeding?" she asked, keeping her voice level.

"Yes, and she may stay long enough for Dr. Crusher to treat her injuries, but as soon as she is well, you must return her to her parents. No matter what the disaster is, Counselor, she can't stay here."

Troi sighed. Picard knew about Penny, but he didn't know the half of what had happened. _If this doesn't change his mind, nothing will._ "Captain… I rescued Penny because her father was beating her. She's been abused, sir; she sent out the signal because she needed help. Her father probably would have killed her if I hadn't rescued her."

As soon as he heard the words _beating _and _abused, _Picard's gray eyes became like gunmetal, his mouth flattened into a slash of rage, and his hands, clasped together on his desk, tightened their grip so hard that his knuckles turned bone-white. If there were two things he hated even more than the Borg, they were domestic violence and child abuse. Just a month prior, one of the _Enterprise _officers was discharged after his wife, an assistant engineer, arrived in Engineering only to have Geordi La Forge ask about the barely concealed mark on her cheek. As it turned out, the woman's husband had backhanded her in the face with the hand on which he wore his Starfleet Academy class ring. The ring had left an ugly mark on the woman's cheek, and the cracked red stone in the center of the bridge officer's ring put the final nail in the wife-beater's coffin. Picard had been so furious when he found out that Troi was amazed he didn't hit the man himself. The officer was stripped of his rank and badge and carted off to Starfleet Headquarters, where he faced trial for spousal abuse.

But this time, things were not that simple. Picard had not been wrong in saying that Troi taking Penny was a violation of the Prime Directive, for Penny's father would, if Troi's evaluation of him was correct, use every legal trick in the book to try and get his daughter back. But if Picard chose to ignore the Prime Directive…

"The child was beaten by her father? Are you certain, Counselor?" Picard's voice was every bit as hard and gray as his eyes.

"Yes, Captain. I saw it with my own eyes."

Picard rose from his chair and pressed a hand to his combadge. "Picard to Sickbay."

"Crusher here, Captain."

"Are you keeping records of the child's healing process? I'll need to see them."

"Yes; I need to keep images of her scars in order to use them as evidence in any future trials – which, God willing, there will be," came Beverly's reply. "I'll have them ready for you right away."

"Make it so. Counselor Troi and I are on our way to Sickbay. Picard out." Picard's expression softened as Troi stood up. "Thank you for telling me the truth, Deanna. We will fight to keep this child safe, I promise you."

A lump came to Troi's throat as she tried to think of a way to express her gratitude. On an impulse, and so grateful, she threw her arms around Picard and hugged him tight. "Thank you, sir! Thank you."

Surprised but nevertheless pleased, Picard chuckled softly and embraced his friend and counselor. "You're welcome, Deanna." They broke the hug and Picard gestured toward the doors. "After you."

And together, they set off for Sickbay, the fragile life within pulling at each of their hearts.

* * *

I hope I've kept Picard, Bev, Alyssa, and Barclay in character here. I thought it'd be funny to play around with Barclay's obsession with diseases - remember him pestering Bev about it in "Genesis?" This is kind of a tip of the hat to that episode. Chapter Three will be coming soon, and we'll see who Penny forms a close bond with. Until then, please review; I always appreciate it!


	3. Penny

When we left off, Picard had promised Troi that they would do everything they could to keep Penny safe. In this chapter, Penny awakens in Sickbay and discovers the bond she has with Troi. Enjoy!

**MTrek:**That was the idea! *blushes* Aw, thank you! TNG's chief writer; I'm honored!

**christinesangel100:** Absolutely agreed. Child abuse is horrible; I can't believe it even happens. LOL, Barclay is great, isn't he?

**Silicon2123:** Thanks! As for Bev, I think any kind of injury like that done to a child would make anybody gasp in horror. Just to clear things up. :D

**SusanHilton:** You and me both. And you want to know what else is cool? Patrick Stewart is actually an advocate for the prevention of domestic violence!

**tiamat100:** Thank you! I love Barclay too!

**Emalin:** Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. I really wanted this to feel like an episode of TNG, and I'm happy it gives you that feeling! As for Nathan DeVore knowing Troi is Betazoid, he could tell by her eyes. All Betazoids have very dark, almost black, irises, and that's how he knew. LOL, everyone's enjoying Barclay! He might make another appearance later on...

* * *

_How can there be such evil in this universe? _Beverly thought as she gazed at the sleeping child before her. _Why would anyone want to harm something so precious? _Tenderly, she stroked Penny's fall of strawberry-blond ringlets. _Don't you worry, sweetie. We'll keep you safe. We'll make sure you're loved._

After an eternal hour, Beverly had healed every single one of Penny's scars, erasing the physical remnants of the abuse. _But there are scars that are far too deep for me to heal. Only Deanna can take that pain away. _She smiled, still stroking Penny's hair. "You'll be okay," she murmured.

As if she had heard Beverly's voice, Penny began to stir. With a few quiet little groans, she rubbed her eyes and blinked rapidly… and found herself staring into a pair of kind blue eyes. "Wh… where am I?" she asked, trying to sit up in the bio-bed.

"Shh." Beverly gently laid her back down. "Easy now. You're safe, Penny."

Penny shrank back a little, pulling her blanket tightly around herself. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Beverly felt a motherly desire to take Penny into her arms and comfort her, but she quelled it for fear any sudden motions might frighten her patient. "I'm Dr. Crusher. Counselor Troi told me your name when she brought you here."

"Counselor Troi? Is she the lady who saved me?" When Beverly nodded, Penny's eyes darted around the room, as if searching for her savior. "Where is she? And where am I?"

Beverly smiled. "You're on the _Enterprise – _a starship. And Counselor Troi is on her way to see you right now." She shifted her right hand slightly. "Penny, will you let me touch you?"

The mixture of surprise and fear in Penny's eyes was something Beverly was not going to forget for a long time, and neither was what Penny said next. "You won't hurt me, will you?"

Beverly's heart twisted at the child's question. _Poor little thing, she's terrified. _"No, no, no, of course not! I would never hurt you," she said gently. "Do you believe me?"

Penny stared intently at Beverly, as if trying to see through her. No one had touched her with kindness in a long time, and she still felt scared. But somehow, this lady with the long red hair, the pretty blue eyes, and the kind smile seemed different – like a friend. She'd never had a friend before, either. It felt nice. At long last, Penny nodded. "Yes."

When Beverly reached for her, Penny flinched a little, still expecting a hard blow… but instead felt the lightest touch against her cheek. She opened her eyes to see Beverly looking at her like… like her mother had before she died. As some of the tension left her body, Penny smiled and put her own hand on Beverly's.

"Are you okay, Penny?" Beverly asked, not daring to move.

"I'm… I'm fine." It was the first time in a long time that Penny could say it truthfully. "I don't feel bad, and my eye doesn't hurt anymore."

Beverly smiled again and reached for a hand-held mirror on the table beside her. "I'm glad to hear that. Would you like to see how I made you better?"

Penny sat up. "Yes, please." Beverly held up the mirror to show Penny the evidence of her healing – her face was clean and clear. "Wow!"

"Wow is right," Beverly said, laughing. She lowered the mirror and held it level with Penny's midsection. "Pull up your shirt and look."

Penny did as she was told, and her eyes popped at what she saw. All of her scars were gone; the skin in their place was perfect. "You took my scars away," she said, lifting wide eyes to Beverly's. "How'd you do that?"

Beverly took Penny's hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze. "A little bit of magic and a whole lot of love," she told Penny, the very thing she had always told her son Wesley when he was a little boy.

Letting her tunic fall, Penny smiled at Beverly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

No sooner had this tender exchange taken place than the doors opened and Picard entered Sickbay, with Troi right behind him. As soon as Penny saw Picard, her smile vanished and she dived under the covers again, becoming the terrified child she had been a few moments before. When Picard opened his mouth to ask Beverly a question, she held up a hand to silence him. "You can approach her and talk to her, but be gentle," she warned. "Don't frighten her any more than she already is."

"I won't," Picard said, lowering his voice. Carefully, he approached the bio-bed and knelt beside Penny, who was all but buried under the covers and staring at him with fear in her eyes. "Hello, Penny," he said softly. "I'm Captain Picard. Don't be afraid."

Penny shook under the blankets. "Please don't hurt me," she pleaded in a voice that was barely more than a whisper.

"I won't hurt you, _petit bebe,_" the captain murmured. He tried to put a hand on her, to reassure her, but Penny let out a cry of terror as soon as she saw him raise his hand. "No! No! Don't hurt me, please!"

Troi, who had been keeping her distance, couldn't take it anymore. She ran past the stunned captain to the bio-bed and took the crying child into her arms. Surprisingly, Penny didn't struggle against Troi's hold, but threw her arms around the counselor's waist and held on for dear life, sobbing into Troi's chest. Troi rocked her gently, murmuring to her the whole time. "It's all right, darling, you're safe. I won't let anything hurt you ever again. Shh, it's all right."

Beverly took Picard's arm and gave him a gentle nudge. "Come on, Jean-Luc. I think we'd better leave them alone."

As the doctor led him to her office, Picard glanced back over his shoulder. "I think you're right," he said, not wanting to forget the image of Troi comforting Penny.

* * *

"I don't understand," Picard said once they were seated in Beverly's office. "Why was she so frightened of me?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it's because you raised her hand. All you were going to do was touch her…"

"But she thought I was going to hit her," Picard finished, cursing himself. "I should have asked her or given her notice before I scared the poor child half to death."

Beverly nodded. "That's what I did, and she let me touch her. It's funny, though – she was frightened when she first saw me, but nowhere near as frightened as when she saw you – no offense, of course."

"None taken at all." Picard shook his head. "I just wonder why she was so scared of me."

Troi entered the office before the captain finished speaking. "I don't think it's anything personal, Captain," she said, taking a seat next to Picard. "The same exact thing just happened with Will. He came in to see if I had gotten Penny out safely, and as soon as he came near her, Penny buried herself beneath those blankets like a scared baby rabbit and would not come out until Will was gone."

"Any ideas why she's more scared of them than of us, Deanna?" Beverly asked.

"I think she's just scared of men, which is no surprise, considering what she's had to live with," Troi answered, her voice taking on a disgusted tone. "If my guess is correct, the only man Penny has ever known is her father. Based on her experiences and what she's seen, Penny assumes that all men are like her father – angry and abusive."

"No wonder she's so terrified," Picard said. "Where on earth was her mother when all of this was happening?"

"We don't know yet, but based on my observations, I think we can assume her mother is dead."

"It does make sense," said Beverly. "If her parents were divorced, it would've been likely that Penny's mother knew her husband was abusive and taken Penny with her when she left. But if she's dead, then Penny's father is her legal guardian."

"And if Penny remembers her mother, she most likely remembers her as the one who took care of her, who sang to her, who showed her she was loved," added Troi. "It makes perfect sense that she would assume all women are like her mother."

Beverly thought for a moment. "As long as she's going to stay here, why not introduce her to the women first, and then, if she wants to, introduce her to the men one at a time, so she won't be quite as scared."

Troi smiled. "I like that idea. I've been thinking about taking her to Ten Forward tomorrow. Guinan's good with children; she'll help Penny feel more at ease."

"While we're on the subject of Penny remaining aboard the _Enterprise,_" Picard spoke up, "Who will she be staying with?"

Troi jumped in right away. "With me," she said without hesitation. "With your permission, sir."

"Permission granted." Picard gave his counselor a warm smile. "I know you'll take care of her, and it appears she's taken a liking to you."

"She has?" Troi asked in surprise.

"Deanna, didn't you notice how she didn't even struggle when you put your arms around her? And she held on to you as if her life depended on it," Beverly pointed out. "When she first woke up, she asked me where you were. You saved her life, Deanna, and she knows it. It wouldn't surprise me if she warmed up to you faster than anyone else on this ship. If there's anyone she'd want to stay with, it's you."

Troi nodded to both Beverly and Picard. "I'll treat her as if she were my own daughter."

"The way your mother raised you?" Beverly asked with a mischievous grin.

"With all due respect, Beverly, I'm not a total idiot," Troi said, joining in Picard and Beverly's laughter.

* * *

As soon as they were inside her quarters, Troi placed her hands on Penny's shoulders and knelt down behind her. "This is where I live, Penny," she said. "And now, it's where you live, too." She gave Penny a gentle pat on the back. "Go on, have a look around."

Cautiously, Penny walked around the spacious room, taking in everything she saw. When she noticed a vase of purple flowers on the coffee table, she sniffed them and smiled, delighted by the scent. "They smell great," she said, inhaling deeply again. "They're pretty, too. What are they?"

"Lilacs," said Troi, smiling herself. "There are more flowers in the arboretum. I'll take you there tomorrow; how does that sound?"

"Good!" Penny left the flowers and went into the bedroom. At the foot of Troi's bed, there was a little trundle that was just her size. "I have my own bed?"

"You sure do. And look here." Troi crossed the room and opened the closet, revealing children's clothes hanging beside her own. "You have new clothes, too. And I have another surprise for you. Close your eyes."

Penny shut her eyes, and an instant later, Troi said, "Open them." When she opened her eyes again, Troi was holding out a furry brown teddy bear. Penny gasped in delight and took the bear from Troi, hugging it tight. "He's so cute! Thank you!"

"You're welcome, darling." _Bless her heart; this is probably the first toy she's had in a long time; no wonder she's so excited. _"Now, are you hungry? Would you like anything to eat or drink?"

Penny thought for a minute. "Mama always made me hot chocolate before bedtime," she said.

"Perfect!" said Troi, leading Penny to the replicator. "I love hot chocolate. Two hot chocolates," she said to the replicator; two frothy mugs of hot chocolate appeared in an instant. As Troi handed one mug to Penny, another idea came to her. "While you drink that, how would you like to hear a story?"

Penny's face lit up. "Yeah! Mama read to me before I went to sleep, too."

"All right then! What stories do you like?"

"Mama read me fairy tales."

Troi smiled. "So did my mother." She crossed the room to her bookshelf and scanned the books until she found two side-by-side. Feeling that the book of Betazoid fables would be a bit thick for Penny, she chose the centuries-old favorite, _Grimm's Fairy Tales. _Troi then turned around, but Penny was no longer there. She ran to the bedroom and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Penny sitting up in her bed, hot chocolate in hand and her teddy bear in her lap. Troi smiled and pulled a nearby chair close to Penny's bedside. "Which story would you like to hear?"

Penny didn't need to be asked twice. "_Cinderella_."

"_Cinderella _it is." Troi opened the book and was about to read when Penny spoke up again. "Counselor Troi?"

"Yes, Penny?"

Penny's green eyes were soft as she gazed up at Troi. "Thank you for saving my life."

Troi felt tears come to her eyes; so heartfelt was Penny's thanks. "You're welcome, Little One," she whispered. Troi then cleared her throat and began to read the tale. "Once upon a time, there was a worthy man who had a beautiful, patient daughter named Cinderella…"

* * *

I know Penny's warmed up to Troi quickly, but that's because Troi saved her life, and not only that, but Troi giving her hot chocolate, a home, and reading her bedtime stories reminds Penny of her mother, and she's already beginning to see Troi as another mom. It'll take her a while to warm up to the others, though. The next chapter is coming up soon; until then, please review!


	4. Coming Out Of The Dark

It's taken me a while, but I've finally updated! Last time, Troi was reading Penny a bedtime story - and now, Picard and Beverly are investigating her father's past.

**MTrek:** I'm glad you like the teddy bear! I thought that'd be a good icebreaker for Troi, since Penny probably hadn't had a new toy in ages.

**Susan Hilton:** I agree; Troi's the perfect person for a situation like this.

**tiamat100:** I can't tell you how happy I am that everyone's saying this story is like an actual TNG episode; that always makes my day! And the joke about Lwaxana - keep an eye out; there may be more...

**christinesangel100: **Speaking of the men, you'd be surprised who the first man she warms up to is...

**Silicon2123:** That was kind of my idea, that Penny would become attached to the one who rescued her. Thanks for pointing that out!

**Hippiegirl4598:** Man, this is turning out to be a real tearjerker! Thanks!

**sn855850:** Thank you so much! I'm glad I'm keeping it realistic.

**The Smart Cookie:** You are a smart cookie if you found this! LOL, seriously, Penny will eventually warm up to Picard and Riker, don't worry. She might warm up to Riker first before Picard, though.

**TotalFanGirl:** Me neither; I can't wait to see how Penny and Data will interact!

**KillingxLights:** Thank you! Actually, this is set after Wesley has left the _Enterprise_ for Starfleet Academy - but there are a couple of someones who just might become big brothers to her...

**princess addy:** It's gonna be fun, I can tell you that!

**Yvette D.:** Thank you, thank you so much!

* * *

_C__aptain's log, supplemental. While young Penny DeVore is now under the care of Counselor Troi, we are still faced with the dilemma of how to deal with the child's father, at whose hands she has suffered great abuse. Dr. Crusher and I are looking into his past, in hope that we may find one more convicting piece of information._

"Have you found him yet, Beverly?" Picard asked, leaning over the doctor's shoulder to peek at her computer screen. After Troi had left with Penny, the captain and the doctor shut themselves in Beverly's office and began looking up everything they could find about Nathan DeVore. Anything to help Penny.

"I've… got him," said Beverly as a Starfleet file appeared on her computer. "Nathan DeVore, age 32, first came to Gamma Tauri V eight years ago with his wife, Marilyn. It was right after they got married. A year later, Penny was born."

"Is there anything that hints at a violent past? Any medical or mental conditions listed?"

"That's what puzzles me; there's nothing at all listed here. No criminal record, no history of mental illness in his family, nothing. So how on Earth… wait a minute, what's this?" Beverly leaned in closer to the computer as a sentence leaped out at her. "I must have missed this somehow."

"What is it?" asked Picard.

A smile crept across Beverly's face. "A cold case about to heat up. Two years ago, DeVore was suspected of abusing the illegal drug venomin, which is a drug with extremely powerful hallucinogenic properties – the effects are twice as powerful as a double dose of felicium, and we know how much trouble that drug can cause."

"I remember," said Picard, recalling the _Enterprise_'s mission to Ornara, the inhabitants' addiction to the felicium, and how far the Ornarans were willing to go to obtain it.

"We're talking felicium with attitude – major attitude. Venomin's effects are enhanced strength and an increase in one's libido, which is why it's considered an aphrodisiac on some planets. But the pleasure comes at a price – psychedelic properties aside, venomin's one major side effect, after the high has worn off, is uncontrollable rage."

Picard never took his eyes off Beverly for a second, listening to every word. "It certainly would explain his urge to beat his own daughter," he said frostily.

"There's more," Beverly said, her own tone dropping into a saddened register. "Around the same time DeVore was suspected of possessing the drug, Marilyn DeVore was reported missing by the neighbors, who hadn't seen or heard from her in a week – not since she went swimming at Orlenda Beach. The very day after the report was made, Starfleet officers from the nearest outpost found Marilyn's body washed up on the beach. The medical officer who performed the autopsy discovered that she suffered a severe blow to the head, but it wasn't the cause of death. The doctor believed Marilyn dived into the shallows and landed on her head, and the undertow pulled her out and under while she was unconscious."

"So she drowned?"

"The death was ruled accidental, but I have a hunch it was no accident. Listen to this." Beverly read on. "'Two days prior to her death, Marilyn DeVore informed the head of security at Starfleet Outpost 214 that she suspected her husband of using venomin, as he had –'" the doctor halted at the next words. "'Threatened to kill her the day before. Marilyn also claimed that he forced himself on her several times.'"

Picard's face turned red. "She was going to turn him in to Starfleet. That is a motive for murder; he killed his own wife!"

Beverly nodded. "I agree. Jean-Luc, if we're going to save Penny's life, we have to prove her father murdered her mother. If we can put Nathan DeVore away for child abuse, rape, and murder, we can keep Penny away from him for good."

Picard returned her nod with a determined one of his own. "I'll contact Admiral James at Starfleet Command. He was the one who helped me with the Dana Kyle domestic abuse case, and I know for certain he'll help us with this one."

"And I'll get in touch with Kim Hadley at the outpost. She performed the autopsy, so she'll still have Marilyn DeVore's file."

Picard gave Beverly a smile. "Excellent. I'll be in my ready room if you need me."

And the captain left to take care of business with Starfleet Command, while Beverly put in a communiqué to Dr. Kim Hadley at Outpost 214. Both, however, were thinking of Penny.

* * *

"How would you like to explore the _Enterprise, _Penny?"

Penny's eyes sparkled at Troi's proposal. "Are you gonna explore with me?" she asked, not wanting to leave her newfound friend and companion's side for a minute.

"Absolutely! I wouldn't want you getting lost." Troi offered her young ward her hand; Penny took it and the two of them walked out of Troi's quarters and down the corridor.

"Where are we going first?" Penny asked, looking up at Troi as they walked.

"We're going to Ten Forward."

"What's Ten Forward?"

By this time, they had reached the turbolift. "It's a place where people come to eat, have a drink, and talk for a while," Troi explained. "There's a friend of mine I'd like you to meet, and she runs Ten Forward."

Penny continued to study Troi as the counselor called "Ten Forward" and the turbolift began to move. "A lady?"

Troi flashed Penny an assuring smile. "A very nice, very wise lady. And she loves children."

Penny took Troi's hand with some urgency. "But what about all those other people? I don't want anyone else to hurt me again," she said, fear coloring her little face.

Sensing the child's worries, Troi knelt down so that she was on Penny's level – much more intimate and less intimidating. She took Penny's hands in hers and met green eyes with her own. "No one is going to hurt you, Penny," she said, fierce determination just barely evident in her voice. "No one, not as long as I'm around. And I want you to know something: if you're on the _Enterprise, _you're always safe and you'll always have a friend. Always."

Penny's cheeks dimpled in a smile. "I guess I could always use another friend."

At that moment, the turbolift slowed to a halt. Troi squeezed Penny's hands affectionately. "Come on, let's go," she said, leading Penny out onto Deck Ten and just around the corner to Ten Forward, the _Enterprise_'s bar and a favorite haunt of the crew.

When Ten Forward's doors, each bearing the Delta Shield of Starfleet emblazoned on glass, slid open, Penny gazed around in wide-eyed wonder. The room was huge, with tables and chairs everywhere, a long wooden counter against one wall, and best of all, a view of what looked like every single star in the sky. And so many people, all dressed in outfits of red, gold, or blue. At first Penny ducked behind Troi's legs, but then she remembered her friend's words: _you're always safe and you'll always have a friend. _And speaking of friends, Penny wondered if the woman in purple approaching them was the friend Troi had spoken of.

"Hi, Deanna," she greeted Troi with a smile. "And who's this shy one?"

Troi glanced down at Penny, who was peeping out from behind her legs. "This is Penny. She'll be staying with us for a while." She gave Penny a gentle nudge. "Penny? Come out; it's okay." When Penny remained behind her legs, Troi chuckled and shifted aside so Penny was out front. "Come here, silly," she said, placing her hands on Penny's shoulders. "Penny, this is my friend Guinan. Go on, say hello."

As Penny took cautious steps forward, Guinan got down to her level, just as Troi had before. "Hello, Penny," Guinan said, holding out a hand and smiling warmly. "I'm pleased to meet you."

Penny gazed at Guinan's face, studying her as she had Troi and Beverly. Troi was right; Guinan did look very wise. And her eyes, a deep brown to match her skin, held nothing but the same kindness she'd seen in the other women. At last, Penny took Guinan's hand, feeling that she had indeed made another friend. "Pleased to meet you, too," she repeated the phrase, returning Guinan's smile.

"How would you like a snack?" Guinan asked, knowing just how to break the ice with children. "We've got the sweetest ice cream in the galaxy here at Ten Forward."

The ice shattered, for Penny squealed with delight and clapped her hands, causing both Guinan and Troi to laugh. "I haven't had ice cream in a million years!" she cried excitedly.

"How about that? I haven't had a good Regulan Flamethrower in a million years," Guinan said, the El-Aurian in her coming out.

Troi laughed. "Don't listen to her, Penny. Guinan's a lot younger than that – and not as crazy as she looks," she whispered.

"I heard that," Guinan said, winking at Penny. "Come on, Penny. Let's fix you up with an ice cream sundae, double scoops."

"With whipped cream and a cherry on top?" Penny asked, trotting along beside Guinan to the bar.

"As many cherries as you want," Guinan replied, lifting Penny onto one of the barstools.

Troi smiled as she watched Guinan and Penny laughing together, pleased that she was doing her work well – and not knowing that yet another friend was about to walk through the door.

* * *

Who will that next friend be? Stay tuned to find out and keep on reviewing!


	5. Making New Friends

Last time, Troi and Penny met Guinan in Ten Forward - and now, Penny's about to make two new friends. You might be surprised at who one of them is, though!

**Susan Hilton:** Thanks for the tip; I'll remember that!

**sn855850:** Thank you! Hope you enjoy this one!

**tiamat100:** Thank you so much! I hope that when people read this story, they'll want to do something about it. Children should never be left behind in situations like these, and more people need to be aware of this. If TNG had continued on for another year or two, I have a feeling this would have been an issue they'd have tackled.

**UNDERLANDERfromtheOVERLAND:** He is a donkey; you're not kidding!

**TheCatgirlQueen:** Aww, thanks! I hope you like this update!

* * *

Suddenly, the doors opened and a little boy around Penny's own age tumbled pell-mell into Ten Forward, picking himself up as if nothing hurt him. With surprising agility for his size, he darted about growling and throwing punches at enemies only he could see. Although she had been startled by his arrival, Penny watched him intently as he danced around his invisible targets, sporting for a fight. He was also the first alien child Penny had ever seen, but what kind of alien, she didn't know. His forehead was ridged like a horseshoe crab's shell, and his hair fell straight to his shoulders. _I wonder what he is, _Penny thought, curious rather than afraid. _I don't want to make him mad, though. _She laughed out loud as the boy tripped over his own feet and landed on his butt, looking around as if to say "Who shoved me?"

"Alexander." Guinan stepped out from behind the bar to help the boy back up on his feet. "Number one, you know the rule: no Klingon calisthenics in Ten Forward, all right?"

_So that's what he is – a Klingon. _Alexander lowered his eyes. "Yes, Guinan."

"And number two, where's your father? You know you're not supposed to be in here without an adult."

"Don't worry, he's coming!" Alexander said, brightening up. "He's out in the hall with Lieutenant Palumbo, talking about new security shifts. He'll be here in a minute."

"Well, all right. As long as he's definitely going to be here," Guinan said, giving Alexander a stern look. All sternness, however, melted away as the Klingon boy hopped up on the stool next to Penny. "In the meantime, why don't I fix you some papalla juice? I'd offer you bloodwine, but your father would probably be after _my _blood if I did."

"Papalla juice sounds great." While Guinan mixed the kids' drink together, Alexander turned his attention to Penny, who was eating her sundae and casting quick, sideways glances at him, looking away so she wouldn't be staring. Feeling a little awkward himself because she kept looking at him, Alexander decided to break the silence with a simple "Is that good?"

Penny looked his way again, amazed he had spoken to her. "Yeah, it's terrific," she said, a spoonful of ice cream suspended in midair on its way to her mouth. "You wanna taste it?"

"Sure." Alexander picked up a nearby spoon that Guinan, having overheard the conversation, left for him, and scooped up some of the chocolate-covered vanilla. After he'd swallowed, he made a slight face. "It's a little sweet."

Penny peeked at her dish again, then back to Alexander, not believing what she'd heard. "It's ice cream. That's how it's supposed to taste."

Alexander was taken aback. "I didn't know. I've never had ice cream until now."

To that, Penny could only stare. A kid who'd never eaten ice cream? That was unheard of to her. "Do they have ice cream where you come from?"

"On the Klingon homeworld? I don't think so. From what my father's told me, our people aren't really big on anything cute, fluffy, or sweet."

Guinan snorted with laughter as she brought Alexander's juice over. "There's the understatement of the 24th century." She set the bubbly concoction down and turned to Penny with a grin. "I gave his father a glass of prune juice once, and he drank the whole thing. He called it a warrior's drink."

Penny made a disgusted face. "Gross!"

"I know. But that's how Klingons are. What's gross to us is delicious to them. And while a human child might have a rabbit for a pet, a Klingon child might have a targ."

"That's not true," Alexander spoke up. "I like playing with Tracy Evans' pet rabbit."

"Well, that's because of your human side, Alexander," Guinan said. "If you were fully Klingon, you'd probably have the same reaction to a rabbit that Penny here might have to a targ."

"What is a targ, anyway?" Penny asked.

Guinan thought around for a Terran animal to compare it to. "It's kind of like a wild pig," she answered, "except it's a little bigger and it has more hair."

"And a lot more teeth," Alexander added. He smiled at Penny, who was still gazing at him in amazement. "Do you go to school here? I don't think I've seen you before."

School? They had a school here? Penny had attended school on Gamma Tauri V, but the kids there had teased her about her worn clothes and called her weird because she always kept to herself, and the teacher had gazed upon her with sympathy, but never asked her if anything was wrong. Not even when she saw the bruises on Penny's arms and legs, the ones she tried to hide with her tunics and dresses. But, like everyone else on this ship, this boy seemed different, so maybe the other kids weren't bad at all. And if Troi knew the teacher, as she seemed to know many other people, it might not be so hard. Fun, even. "No, I don't; I just got here yesterday. What's school like here?"

"It's great!" Suddenly excited, Alexander launched into a lively description of the children's lessons and activities. "We have our usual lessons like math and spelling, and we do arts and crafts, and that's a lot of fun. There's a talent show coming up, too, for the kids and the grownups. Our class is singing a song, and Counselor Troi's doing it with us."

It had taken a while, but some of Alexander's excitement finally caught on to Penny, who grinned at the idea. "That sounds fun!" Definitely feeling at ease now, she directed the grin right at Alexander. "You're the nicest boy I've ever met," she said sincerely, all shyness around him evaporating. "Your name's Alexander, right?"

"Yeah. And your name's Penny."

Penny nodded, her smile never fading. "Can we be friends, Alexander?"

Alexander's brown eyes lit up at the question. "Sure! I could always use another friend."

* * *

From her position at the doors, Troi heard both Penny's question and Alexander's answer, and her heart leapt for the step Penny had just taken. Alexander's arrival in Ten Forward had turned out to be an unexpected blessing, for Penny needed to interact with other kids; make some friends and come out of her shell. And thanks to Alexander, Troi no longer had to explain school to Penny – the very idea of lessons, arts and crafts, and singing a song had lit a new fire, and Penny was ready to go to school. _I'll speak to Judy Collins later about placing Penny in the same class as Alexander. Now that that problem's solved, all I really have to worry about is helping Penny conquer her fear of men. But which man should I introduce her to first?_

The doors slid open at that moment, startling Troi, but she relaxed as the _Enterprise_'s head of Security walked in, towering over everyone nearby. But anyone who knew Worf well knew that beneath the fierce Klingon exterior lay a good soul, loyal to his ship, his captain, and most of all, his family – which showed in the pride he had in his son, Alexander. It took the heart of a warrior to be a father, and Troi admired Worf greatly for that. "Hello, Worf," she greeted him affably; he turned at the sound of her voice. "Counselor," he replied, giving her a deep nod.

Troi smiled in the direction of Penny and Alexander, who were still conversing about school. "Alexander made a new friend," she said, pointing the children out to Worf.

Worf followed her finger to the bar. "The child you rescued. She is remaining aboard the _Enterprise_?"

"Until we can keep her away from her father permanently, yes. Right now, I'm trying to help her settle in as best as I can. She's not used to being around so many people all at once."

Worf gazed at the children for a moment before reverting his attention to Troi. "Can I approach them? I do not want to approach Alexander if it will frighten her."

Troi smiled, pleased that he had taken that into consideration. "I'm glad you asked that, but I don't think you'll need to. They're coming this way right now."

"Come on, Penny!" Alexander said, taking his new friend by the hand as they hopped down from the barstools. "I want you to meet my father. He's over there talking to Counselor Troi."

If she hadn't been holding Alexander's hand, Penny would have scrambled backwards at what she saw. The man standing beside Troi looked like an older version of Alexander, but his face… the way he surveyed the crowd in Ten Forward, shaggy eyebrows drawn into a frown, made him look ferocious. His towering height and massive body didn't help, either, for Penny's first thought was of the Beast from _Beauty and the Beast. _"_That's _your dad?" she half-whispered, still eyeing Worf warily.

Hearing the fear in her voice, Alexander flashed her a quick grin. "Don't worry, he's not as mean as he looks." He gave her hand a short tug. "Come on!"

Although fear still made her stomach quiver, Penny let Alexander lead her to the opposite side of Ten Forward, until they were standing right in front of Troi and Worf. _Whoa, _Penny thought, craning her neck to get a good look up at Alexander's father. _I've never seen anyone so big. _She glanced over at Alexander and saw that there was no fear in his eyes at all – his face practically glowed with admiration and love as he met his father's gaze. _He really loves his dad. If he looks like that… his dad must love him, too._

"Father, this is Penny," Alexander said, gesturing to his friend. "Penny, this is my father, Worf."

"Hello, Penny," Worf said; Penny jumped at the deep bass of his voice. The Klingon turned to Troi, who silently mouthed _get down. _Understanding, he knelt before the children, his fierce expression softening a little. "You do not have to be afraid," he said to Penny. "I will not harm you."

"You won't?" Penny asked, meeting Worf's eyes. They were the same dark brown as Alexander's, and they held the same protective fire that she saw so often in Troi's eyes. Once again, she was reminded of the Beast – how even though he seemed ferocious at first, he was actually very kind.

Worf shook his head. "No. My people consider harming a child an act of ultimate dishonor. You will never be harmed with me." He studied Penny for a minute, almost as if he were a captain inspecting a new officer. "You are small, but you have the spirit of a warrior to endure such torture."

Penny's gaze flicked upwards to Troi. "Is that good?"

Troi nodded. "To a Klingon, that's an honor."

When Penny looked back at Worf, she knew she had nothing to fear. All of the tension left her body and she relaxed, even allowing herself a smile. In a gesture that surprised everyone, including herself, Penny reached out and took Worf's huge hand in her tiny one. "Thank you," she said gratefully.

The corners of Worf's mouth turned upward ever so slightly. "You are welcome, Penny," he told her, knowing that the compliment wasn't the only thing she was grateful to him for.

"I'm so proud of you, Penny!" Troi exclaimed once they were outside, scooping Penny into a hug. "You were very brave to meet Worf."

Penny smiled impishly. "Alexander told me he wasn't as mean as he looked."

Troi laughed. "No, he's not. And the other men on this ship aren't mean, either. You just have to give them a chance; get to know them."

Uncertainty found its way onto Penny's face. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely! A couple of my best friends are men, and they still act like little boys sometimes, always laughing and playing and pulling pranks on each other."

"They play? And they do jokes?" Penny giggled at the very thought. "What are they like?"

"Well, one is the chief engineer of the _Enterprise_ – that is, he takes care of the ship and makes sure it's running well. But he knows how to have fun – he'll play with you on the holodeck for hours."

"What's a holodeck?" Penny asked.

Troi smiled. "You'll find out soon. I don't want to spoil the surprise. The other man I'm thinking of loves to tell jokes, he loves adventures, and he plays the trombone."

"Is that like a trumpet?"

"Sort of." Troi clasped Penny's hands within hers. "Penny, you have nothing to be scared of. Geordi and Commander Riker are good men. They'll love you just as much as I do. You've found room in your heart for me, Dr. Crusher, Guinan, Alexander, and Worf – can you find a place for these guys, too?"

Troi could sense Penny's emotions switching gears, innate fear warring against newfound courage. When courage won the battle, Troi's heart rose at Penny's answer. "I think I can," she said, echoing the famous line from _The Little Engine That Could._

Troi hugged her again. "I know you can. Now then," she said, clapping her hands on her thighs and standing up, "I believe I promised you a trip to the arboretum. And after that, we'll see about getting you started in school. Sound good?"

Penny said nothing, just simply smiled and laid her hand in the counselor's. That said _yes _to Troi better than words as the two of them walked hand in hand down the corridor.

* * *

"I tell you, Jean-Luc, sometimes I think it's a shame hangings died out centuries ago."

In this instance, Picard had to agree. Before him on his desk, the image of Admiral Martin James was shaking his head in disgust at the story Picard had just related to him: Penny's abuse under her father, her rescue by Troi, Nathan DeVore's suspected drug abuse, and the suspicions that Marilyn DeVore's accidental drowning may have been a murder. That last theory aside, the child abuse alone was enough to etch a deep furrow in James' brow and cause his body to tighten like a coiled spring. Picard understood James' reaction and especially why he said what he said, for the admiral had children of his own and was expecting his first grandchild in five months. "I know. Beating your wife is despicable as it is, but to inflict that kind of abuse on a child is even worse. Children can't defend themselves the way adults can."

"Not just that, but murder on top of it? You're dealing with a dangerous man here, Jean-Luc, and he will fight you tooth and nail to get his child back." James rested his elbows on his desk and leaned forward, body language preparing for a question. "Has he tried to contact the _Enterprise _in any way?"

Picard shook his head. "No, not yet." He silently tacked a _thank God _onto the end of that sentence. "And if I have to meet with him, it will either be in his house or on the _Enterprise _with a full security detail flanking him. I will not take any chances of him breaking loose and hunting down his daughter as if she were wild game."

"That and you're a formidable man yourself, Jean-Luc," James pointed out. "Plus you have Lieutenant Worf, who has Klingon fighting skills at his disposal, and Lieutenant Commander Data, who has the strength of ten men. If DeVore wants a fight, I think it's safe to say you could give him one – and win."

Picard smiled grimly. "The fight has already begun, Martin. And we cannot afford to lose, for a fragile soul, one very precious heart is hanging in the balance."

* * *

What'll happen with Penny's father? How well do you think she's going to get along with Geordi and Riker? Stay tuned and keep on reviewing!


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